Do You Need Specialized Sport Orthotics?
Dr. Huppin and Dr. Hale are specialists in sports medicine and have a special interest in research related to orthotics and sports. Although most research on the use of orthotics points to prescribing orthotics to take care of a specific condition (for example, shin splints or Achilles tendonitis) there are some situations where orthotics must be adapted for specific sports.
A good example is soccer. Soccer cleats in particular tend to be shallow and narrow and this makes it almost impossible to fit a standard custom foot orthotic into soccer shoes. These orthotics have to be modified to fit into cleats. Custom orthotics can be specially designed to match your shoe type and activity to help provide the support and comfort you need in all of your shoes.
For information on orthotics for specific sports use these links:
- Cycling Orthotics
- Golf Orthotics
- Running Orthotics
- Soccer (also Ultimate, Lacrosse) Orthotics
- Skating Orthotics
- Ski / Snowboard Orthotics
For an evaluation of whether sport orthotics would be beneficial for you, make an appointment to see us in our Seattle foot and ankle clinic. Be sure to bring a selection of the shoes you wear for your sport.
Many other sports require specially modified orthotics to either fit better into the shoes or boots used or to handle the demands of a particular athletic activity. We based our orthotic prescriptions on the besut t available research. You can learn more about orthotics for specific sports using the links below:
Will My Current Orthotic Work in My Athletic Shoes?
In many cases they will, but keep in mind that one pair of orthotics are really not meant to fit in all shoes. Most of the time the first pair of orthotics you receive is designed to fit primarily in lace-up walking and running-type athletic shoes. These orthotics are prescribed to be as close as possible to the full width of your foot in order to give you maximum control when you are performing activities that put the most force onto your feet. In addition, they are deeper around the heel to offer more control. These wider and deeper orthotics are called “full-support orthotics” and are meant to be worn in standard running and walking shoes.
Once your doctor is sure that your first pair is comfortable and working correctly you can order orthotics designed to fit in hard to fit shoes – such as soccer cleats, cycling shoes or ski boots.
Sport Shoe Specific Orthotics
Some athletic activities require you to wear shoes or boots that are smaller than the average walking or running shoe. In these cases, you may have difficulty fitting your full-support orthotics into the sport shoes.
Other sports require greater cushioning on the orthotics for best protection against injury. Use the links at the right to learn now orthotics are made for specific sports.
Sporting activities, however, usually put maximum force on your feet so it is important that you be protected and wear orthotics.
